Colors
by thewailingwoman
Summary: James Diamond and Katie Knight have been best friends since childhood, except the social ladder of high school has always seemed to get in the way of things. And since James and Lucy are dating, one little party won't only put a dent in the relationship, but change two lives forever.
1. Prologue

**a/n**; _so, the idea for this fic has been circling my mind for a few days, so I decided to try and transfer my thoughts onto here. also, the Prologue is styled differently from the rest of the fic, and will most likely be shorter._

**prologue**

The crisp of the cold winter air caused goosebumps to form along the bare skin of one Katie Knight. Tonight was the night of the big party thrown by the Jennifer's, also known as the most popular girls at the Palmwoods. Of course, the small brunette was only the plus one of her brother, Kendall Knight. Being the younger sister to one of the most popular guy in school did have it's ups at some points.

"Ready to go, baby sister?" He asked her, opening the front door to his silver Toyota.

"Definitely, big brother," She stated in response, walking toward the car, and hopping in the passanger side.

Tonight, she'd opted for a simple green long-sleeved top, with her dark skinny jeans, and grey converse. While she was certain that other girls would most likely be wearing heels, she'd rather be comfortable instead of looking like a teenage prostitute. She stood at four-foot-eleven at sixteen years of age, and she wasn't even ashamed. Well, maybe a little. Not that she'd ever admit it.

The ride to the party was fairly exciting, yet nerve-wracking in a way. It was the first party of the year, being a junior. Jennifer Knight had never allowed her youngest and only daughter to attend parties the two years before this one, so it had it's way of making her anxious.  
Kendall had been invited to numerous parties the year before. She can remember the countless drunk texts and calls at three in the morning, even if he was underage. It wasn't exactly shocking that he'd gone under the influence. She'd just hoped that he would refrain from having drinks tonight so he'd be able to drive her home tonight.

The silence between them had it's share of awkwardness, with a few coughs and sighs in-between. Even though she wanted to ask him questions about it, and plead for him to stick by her side until she could land on her feet, something made her mouth remain closed. As much as she'd like for him to be her guardian, she'd rather for him to have a good time. Jo, his girlfriend since the beginning of sophomore year, would be there.

Within the next ten minutes, they had arrived, and she could hear the music blasting through the shut car doors.

"If you need me, I have my cell on vibrate," Kendall announced, with a nod.

"Thanks," she stated, nodding in return.

As they made their way inside, he locked the doors. There were so many people, it seemed like the entire school had gathered. Crossing her arms over her chest, she felt a discomfort, especially since Kendall had managed to disappear so quickly.

Her large brown eyes remained on the floor, as she stumbled through the crowd. Already feeling queasy from the large amounts of people. She'd been claustrophobic since a young age. A party was probably not the best for someone with it, but she'd just wanted to have fun for once.

Taking a seat by the pool, her eyes focused on the moonlight reflecting off the water. After a few minutes of leg shaking and lip nibbling, she decided on leaving, when she bumped into someone, spilling their drink on the floor.

"I am so sorry," she quickly apologized, shaking her head as her mouth dropped. Peering up at his face, a smile formed on her face as she realized who it was. She'd know those hazel eyes anywhere.

His structure was one you were bound to remember for quite some time. He was tall, six-foot-one to be exact, with a toned physique and tanned complexion. He cared an awful lot about his looks, and also never seemed to have a trouble when it came to the ladies. He was none-other-than, James Diamond.

He'd been friends with Kendall since they were in diapers, but he'd also been Katie's closest friend since elementary school, even though he was a year older than her.

"Totally fine," he stated, a gentle laugh escaping his lips.

"I didn't know that you were coming, I thought you and Lucy were going to a movie," she said.

"We were, but her mom found out that she stole fifty bucks from their bank account to buy a new guitar," he explained, her grin fading slightly. "I don't think I'll be able to spend too much time with her for a while. You know how her parents get."

"That sucks," the girl sighed, masking her excitement that he wouldn't be around Lucy for a while. Ever since they'd started dating, she'd seen a visible difference in her friend. She was just a bad influence. Period.

"Yeah," he shrugged, shaking his head. "But, you look nice."

"Thanks," she smiled back at him, her full lips pursing together. "You too."

Her eyes admired his choice of outfit: a red and black plaid button-up shirt, dark jeans, and black hi-top trainers. Not too bad.

"I think I'm going to need a refill," he explained, making a slight face. "Want me to grab you one?"

"Uh," she thought for a moment. "Sure."  
;;

"So how's hockey going?" Katie questioned him, taking a seat beside him on the staircase, her hand firmly grasped around the cup in hand.

James took a long sip, licking his lips before responding. "Good, good. Way better since your brother took up captain. Our last one was absolute shit, if you didn't notice. His game plans were way messed up."

"Yeah," she started with a nod. "Kendall's a pretty good leader."

"What about you?" He asked, his dark eyebrows perching up a bit. "How's journalism going, with the newspaper and all?"

"Great, actually." Her eyebrows knit together slowly as she took a sip. "I'm really hoping that I can become the editor. It'd be great for college applications."

"They'd be stupid to not make you editor," He gushed, finishing off the liquid in his cup. "You're like, the best there is."

Her cheeks darkened a bit at his comment. "I try."

After finishing the drink, the boy stood up and looked down expectantly at the other girl. "Need another drink?"

Quickly finishing off the blue cup, she handed it to him with a firm nod.

;;

The pair took a walk outside, taking a few minutes to take in the fresh air. The taller boy stuck his hand out for her to take the drink from, a smile on his face. For a moment, their hands brushed against one another, causing her cheeks to light up slightly.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Together, they took a seat beside each other by the pool. Katie was actually surprised that none of James' friends had come over to them, in wonder of where he might be.

"I've missed having you around, Katie," he admitted, his eyes not bothering to look up at the girl.

"Really?" she asked, tilting her head to the side as a smile crept onto her face.

"Yeah," he said, as if it were some surprise to him.

"I've missed you too." And she did. It seemed that every time he got a girlfriend, that he couldn't spend as much time with her as he wanted too. It was pretty hard to juggle both best girl friend, and girlfriend. As much as he liked Lucy, he wanted Katie around too.

;;

"May I have this dance, m'lady?" James inquired, his infamous grin on his face as his hand stuck out for her to take.

"Why certainly," Katie accepted, a hearty laugh coming from her. That laugh that he'd always loved about her.

While they danced for a few moments, seeming to fit in just right, the small girl seemed uncomfortable, which James could read from her facial features. Knowing that crowds made her feel nervous, he decided to propose something.

"Why don't we go upstairs instead?" He mumured into her ear, "We can have fun up there."

With a nod, she followed him up the stairs quietly, as they walked into the seemingly last empty bedroom upstairs. Hoping that people wouldn't get the wrong idea, he decided to leave the door open.

"I don't really like parties too much," she quietly admitted. "I mean, this is my first one, and I can already tell that there isn't too much special about it. I know that's one of the most exciting things about being in high school, but it seems like you're the only thing here worth sticking around for. Even Kendall went off somewhere. Probably with Jo, or something. Parties are really just an excuse for teenagers to act like whores, get drunk, and hook-up."

He watched her intently, as he listened to what she had to say. He could listen to her ramble on forever. She just wasn't really like the other girls here. She chose to be different. It's one of the things he liked best about her. Her originality, her boldness. It was kind of hot, actually. The way her brunette hair cascaded down her back, framing her face perfectly. Her chocolate brown eyes, which were framed by long eyelashes. The eyelashes that she'd bat, and make you melt. Her full and plump lips which she could use to pout for her own advantage.

"You know what I mean, right?"

Her words snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, yeah. Totally."

"Oh, god. That sounded so stupid, didn't it?" Her voice started to fill with slight worry, as her face flushed. Taking a seat on the bed, she let out a sigh.

"No! No, of course not!" He reassured her, sitting down beside her and resting a hand on her leg to put her to ease. "I actually agree with that. But, there is something appealing about them. To me, at least."

"I think part of it is that I'm not good around people." Her voice was quiet. Small, even. He could tell that this was actually how she felt. "People just, don't like me." Her eyes refused to meet his.

"Come on, Kat. That's so untrue," He shook his head, resting a hand on her chin to lift her face up.

"You're amazing, okay? Maybe people just can't see it."

For a few seconds, her eyes just stared into his. Both grateful to have him there, and grateful for his kind words. Then, his lips crashed into hers.

It was only natural that she'd grown a crush on him somewhere along the course of their relationship.

He was one of the only boys who treated her like she was worth something, and he was also undeniably sexy.

Her heartbeat picked up a pace as his lips were placed on her own. Pulling away, she eyed the floor, unsure of what to do.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, blinking rapidly.

"No," she shook her head. "It's okay. I just, um." She was at a total loss for words. She could feel the alcohol in her veins, and the thoughts raced through her mind.

After a few uncomfortable moments, he glanced over at her.

"Can I kiss you again?"

Her eyes looked up to meet his. With Lucy out of sight and out of mind, she pressed her lips against his, her hands reaching up to rest on his cheeks. She'd waited so long for this moment, and maybe even dreamt about it. If she was honest with herself, she knew that she was in helplessly in love with him, but never even imagined that he could reciprocate her feelings.

His hands made their way to her waist, pulling her closer to him. His lips parted as his tongue seeked entrance into her mouth. As this was granted, she allowed their tongues to meet for a few moments, before nipping down on his lip.

Engulfed by the passion, she positioned herself to sit on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and arching her back. His hands ran along her back, before she yanked her head away, breaking the kiss.

"Wha- what are we doing?" Her eyes furrowed, blinking as she stood up, pacing around the room.

"This is totally ridiculously cliché."

"Oh, yeah. Definitely." James agreed, not exactly sure what she meant.

Her dark eyes moved around the room rapidly before finally meeting his. They stared longingly into one another's eyes, desperately wanting. It must be the alcohol.

"Screw it," she muttered, kicking the door shut, and running up to meet him.

Her legs wrapped around his waist as he set her on the desk, their lips meeting once again. His hand slipped up her shirt, feeling her bare waist, while his lips moved to work on her neck. She now understood why he didn't exactly have trouble getting girls.

The shirts were the first to be taken off, followed by Katie's bra. Then came the jeans, and they finally laid in their underwear. He was positioned on top of her, and she was nibbling furiously on her lower lip.

"Is this okay?" He asked, about to strip her off her last garments.

All she could manage was a nod.

He pressed his lips gently onto hers, before pulling away and staring into her eyes. "Are you ready?"

Once again, she nodded, but with a soft smile this time.

And so, their night had just begun.


	2. Cross That Line

**a/n**; This is probably my favorite story that I'm currently writing, so I'm really hoping that you guys enjoy it. :3 If you take the time to read it, I really appreciate it, so thank you. I especially appreciate follows/favorites/reviews.  
**disclaimer**; i do not own big time rush.  
...

**chapter one**  
_cross that line_

Monday morning rolled along pretty quick for James Diamond, the entire weekend filled with a slight regret. On Saturday, he had woken up to an empty bed in a home that wasn't his. The night before was stunningly and frustratingly vague, which he could blame on the underage drinking that he was taking part in.

Throughout the day, little snippets of what had occurred rambled through his mind. He could remember spending the night with a girl, who managed to keep his attention focused fully on her for the entire party.

Katie.

Those unmistakably large brown eyes, flowing brunette hair, petite figure.

Which brought him to another thought. Lucy. As in, current girlfriend Lucy.

He can easily remember going to bed with a girl that wasn't Lucy, but then again, he wasn't exactly sure whether it actually was the small girl.

But then again, it had to be. He couldn't remember talking to another girl past meeting up with Katie.

After they spoke, he'd offered to get her a drink. Though, he couldn't seem to puzzle together as to if he knew that the drinks were spiked. Either way, the entire situation was his fault.

He went out a whim by kissing Katie. Little did he know that she'd kiss back.

Of course, he had teased Katie prior to the party about having a crush on him. But that was years ago, and he never actually believed it could be true.

Nobody could know. Not Lucy, and especially not Kendall. They'd both be pissed at him, but Lucy would definitely do her best to tear Katie apart.

Except, Katie could handle herself fine. Or so she led for others to believe. Even though he knew that this wasn't true. The brunette rarely let those get close to her. It seemed that him and Kendall were the only ones who actually knew who that girl was.

Instead of just wondering what had happened, he decided to take a trip over to the Knight's, in hopes that Katie might be home. Maybe she could remember, and he could try and talk this truth.

Fuck. Seems like all he's doing lately is making mistakes. He doesn't want to mess things up with Lucy. They've been in a committed relationship for months now, and beforehand, he'd tried endless ways to just get her to agree to a date. Now he felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

But there was something about Katie. There was no denying it. She knew him better than anyone. Thing is, a relationship could ruin that about them. He couldn't loose her. He loved her too much. Even if it wasn't as more than a friend. Was it?

He drove there around twelve-thirty, which was undoubtedly only a half hour after he'd actually decided to wake up. He'd barely taken the time to comb his hair - which was rare for him. Nevertheless, he needed to see her.

Not only did they need to talk, but he actually kind of missed her.

His knuckles hit the door three steady times, sending an echo through the seemingly hollow house.

He bit down on his lip, suddenly feeling a wave of anxiousness sweep over him.

But why? It was only Katie. The girl he'd known since Pre-K.

After a few seconds, the door swung open, and there stood Kendall, his eyes bloodshot.

"Jeez, man. You look like hell," James stated, one eyebrow raising.

"The party," Kendall grumbled in response. "Definitely took it's toll on me."

"Oh - heh - yeah," He muttered, wetting his lips.

"So what'd you need?"

"Just, wondering if I could snag Katie for a few minutes?"

"Not home," the blonde simply replied. "She texted me that she was sleeping over at Camille's. Why?"

"I- um. I saw her at the party last night and she lent me five bucks," He lied. What? He was never good under pressure. "Just wanted to return it."

"Oh. Well. She might be back later."

"Thanks. Just tell her I stopped by?"

"Will do."

With that, Kendall shut the door in his face. He assumed that his hangover was pretty rough. That or, he had Jo waiting in his bedroom. Or both. Whatever the reason, the weekend seemed to drag on. He'd sent endless texts to Katie, which received no response. Lucy's phone was taken away, so he didn't even have her around.

Finally, the sun rose, leading Monday morning on. He arrived to school, just hoping that he could see his girlfriend, and also have a view words with Katie. He hadn't slept too great since the party, which also led to a slight coffee overload. Needless to say, he was pretty jumpy.

Standing at his locker, he nibbled on his lower lip as he took a few glances down the hall.

"Hey, James!" A low voice boomed. Maybe it wasn't so loud, but it sure seemed it.

James' head turned quickly, revealing the familiar face.

"Hey, Carlos," he responded, eyeing his shorter friend. "How goes it?"

"It goes well," the boy replied, playing with the straps on his backpack. "What about you?"

James made a slight face, tapping his fingers furiously against the locker as he tried to remember which class he had first. "Uh, good."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"You really sure?"

"Yes."

"Really, really sure?"

He sighed. "Yes, Carlos."

"Really, really, re-"

"Carlos."

"Sorry. You just seem kind of," he paused, one eyebrow slowly knitting toward the center. "Off."

As much as he wanted to tell Carlos, he did not want to risk anyone else hearing. Maybe Carlos could help, since he was usually his most trustworthy friend, along with the kindest, but something prevented the words from surpassing his lips.

"Haven't been sleeping much," he simply replied.

"Is it because of-"

"No," he cut him off, again. Not that he meant to be rude, but he was tired of having that same conversation with Carlos about his ugly past. "Just have a lot on my mind."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry," he shook his head, now feeling bad for brushing away the most relateable guy friend he had. "I'm acting like an ass, I know. It's just that there's so much shit going on right now, you have no idea."

"Like what?" A sudden female voice chirped.

Quickly whipping around, he met the dark eyes of the girl with red streaks. Signature badass, Lucy Stone. Otherwise known as, the girlfriend of James.

"Oh, nothing," he replied, a sudden grin appearing on his face as he leaned down to give her a gentle peck on the cheek, which she somehow managed to turn into a full-frontal kiss.

Behind him stood a now awkward-feeling Carlos, who coughed to remind them both that he was still there. "Talk to you in Government?" He asked, his lips twitching into what he could only identify to be a smile.

"Sure," James agreed, returning a smile, and watching with a soft guilt in his stomach as Carlos walked away.

"So, I heard about that party."

For a second, he'd nearly forgotten that she was still standing right beside him.

His eyes widened a bit at her comment. What had she meant by that? Did someone see him and Katie? Was she mad? Jealous? Jealous wouldn't exactly be a bad thing. Honestly, when she got jealous, it was actually kind of hot.

"What'd you hear?" He asked, mainly out of pure curiosity.

"Total bummer. Doesn't seem like I missed much." Her eyes wandered aimlessly around the room. "What did you think?"

It was beginning to seem like this was a trick question. Then again, if she did know something, she probably wouldn't have made her entrance with a kiss. Most likely, it would have been a slap. Or something far worse. God knows that woman was definitely capable of it.

"It was okay," he shrugged it off, now returning his attention to the locker in front of him. "I was hanging out with Katie for most of it." Might as well put some honesty into play.

"Oh," was all that she replied with.

This girl was probably one of the best actresses he'd seen, which was why it was such a shock that she'd prefer to be a rock star. She has always been great at performing and playing guitar too - but she never really let you know what she was thinking. And she always had these different sides. Mysterious, sultry (his personal favorite), flirtatious (second favorite), feminist, and the list seemed to drag on.

Still, reading people was definitely one of his better qualities. Little to peoples' knowledge, he was actually highly intelligent when it came to school. People just assumed that with his obsession with self-image, that he was also dumb as a post.

Most of the time, he did put up the front that he wasn't intelligent. It just kind of helped to blend it. Okay, fine. He'll admit it. Popularity is something that he does enjoy. He'd rather be part of the in-crowd, then be part of the geeks.

Except, his friend, Logan Mitchell, was also pretty smart. In fact, he's assumed to be the valedictorian. And he's not exactly unpopular.

But, still.

He's always enjoyed his spot and where he is. He doesn't want anything to jeopardize that.

Shutting his locker, he held out his hand for Lucy to take, giving her a small smile.

"Do you want to meet for lunch?" She asked him, her hand happily taking it in her own as she glanced up at him. "Or you could just ditch seventh period. It's not like P. E. is actually important."

On one hand, it's cute that she knows what class he has per period. But on the other, she is fully aware that gym is his favorite. It is the only class he has with Kendall, Logan, Carlos, and, well, Katie.

But it also totally made sense.

"Raincheck?" He asked, releasing her hand as her wrapped his arm around her waist, tugging her closer. "Maybe we can do something after-school."

This caused her mood to stiffen, which was clearly evident by the way her facial expression changed.

"I really need to get to homeroom," she mumbled, "I'll text you where to meet me. It'll be around seventh grade."

The way that she can be controlling sometimes can really underneath his skin. As she walked off, he couldn't help but practically fume. His eyes began to narrow, when he suddenly spotted that familiar brown hair down the hall. But, she wasn't alone.

Beside the small girl, stood a boy about 5'8 or so. Not as tall as James, but definitely not short or scrawny by any means. He'd seen him around before, but he hadn't had any classes with him, so he figured he must be an underclassmen.

What was his name? Ken? No. Kaleb? No. Karen? Hah. No. Kyle. Yeah, that was it. He'd never bothered to learn his last name, and the only other thing he knew was that he was a football player. Nothing good ever came out of football.

Taking a slow, and somewhat subtle - but let's be real, when can James Diamond ever be subtle in any way? - stroll down the hall. Nibbling on his lip, he tried to get a listen to their conversation as he blended with the crowd.

" - and then I scored a touchdown."

"Really? That's pretty impressive."

"Just like your eyes."

'Okay, really?' He thought quietly to himself as he rolled his eyes. That might've been the saddest excuse of flirting that he'd seen. And that was saying something, because he'd had to coach Logan to ask Camille out for a coffee, which was pretty much the easiest thing in the word.

Who did this guy think he was? He wasn't good enough for Katie. He should at least have the decency to get to know her before commenting on her looks. Taking a look back, it must've worked. He could tell from the glow on her face, and the slight tint in her cheeks.

Was he ..jealous? No. Of course not. He was just looking out for Katie. A friend. He needed to be there for her, and make sure she didn't end up with some jerk who just wanted her in bed.

Speaking of, he still needed to speak with her about the party.

Maybe he could get her attention during P.E. Or lunch, beings as that was the only time he would be able to get her alone to talk to her. But what exactly would he say? There was no simple way to ask what had actually happened. He just wanted to clarify. Maybe make things less awkward, if that was possible. She hadn't answered his texts, which brought his mind to the fact that she may be ignoring him.

Okay, no. He was being irrational. She probably just lost her phone or was busy.

His mind was set to ease as he took a seat in homeroom, just waiting for the first bell to ring.

;;

Ring.

And with that, he could finally see the girl he'd been waiting to speak to. Which surprisingly, wasn't Lucy. With how she acted earlier, he was still pretty heated about how she thought that she could just run his life. He had a mom to do that. If he ever thought about his girlfriend like that, he might just relive his last meal.

He entered the cafeteria with ease, his eyes nervously darting around for Katie, which was slightly hard to do in a room filled with hungry teenagers. Finally, his eyes set on a brunette, just not the one he was looking for.

Camille and Katie weren't the best of friends, but she was usually the first that Katie would go to, if Kendall or James weren't around.

"Hey," he said, taking the spot beside her at the half-empty table.

"Hi, James," she responded, setting her fork down as she looked at him. "So what can I do for you today?"

"Seen Katie around?"

"Not since this morning."

"If you see her, tell her I need to talk to her, okay?"

"..Okay."

"Thanks."

With a nod, he shot her a quick wink as he got up, and decided that he might as well get in line to get his meal. As he stood in the line, he chewed on the inside of his cheek, quietly debating on how this could work out.

Naturally, the worst scenario came to mind.

Lucy kills Katie.

Or him.

Or both.

Shit.

Finally, he was snapped out of his thoughts when the girl in front of him sneezed. It was cute. And vaguely familiar. Looking her up from down, his heartbeat increased as his palms grew sweaty. It was her, Katie.

"Katie?" James asked, his voice soft.

The girl in front of him turned around, those big brown eyes searching anywhere but into his.

"Oh. Hi, James." Her tone was completely nonchalant. As if nothing had happened. Like this was any other way. There was no way that she was drunk enough to not remember. Then again, her body was smaller than his, and therefore it took less alcohol to get her drunk.

Right?

"Were you busy this weekend? I stopped by," he explained. Of course she knew. Why was he telling her again?

A weak grin grew on her lips, which twisted into a smirk. "Kendall told me. By the way, I'm gonna need those five bucks."

There was something seriously wrong here. She was acting like nothing happened between them. Was he that bad that she actually made herself forget?

"Katie," he yearned, his tone serious. "I wanted to talk about the party, actually. Like, ASAP. And preferably, in private."

It only took those few words to cause her grin to fade away. "What's there to talk about?"

"I just -"

"If you were asking me to not tell Lucy, or anyone. I didn't, okay?" Her voice was quiet, those beautiful eyes now gazing into his. "And I won't. I get that you were probably drunk, and it's nothing. You don't have to ask, I'm not stupid. Your secret's safe with me."

As the words spilled from her mouth, he felt a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he could only peg as guilt, which there was no easy way out of. No easy way without someone getting murdered by his girlfriend with anger issues.

"Thanks."

He wanted to say more, he really did. But he just couldn't find the words. And what made him hurt worse, was that after he'd said a simple word of gratitude, she allowed the ends of her lips to twist into that adorable smile of hers.

"You know," he began. "Maybe I can take you out later to a movie or something. My treat."

Her eyes shut for a moment as her tongue glazed over her lips carefully, and then her head began to shake. "You don't need to thank me, and if you want to do something, I can pay for myself."

She had always been stubborn, it was in her nature. So of course she was going to object. But the idea did kind of seem like a date, which they obviously were not on.

"Fine. But, I actually have an idea for what we can do."

;;

Inside the janitor's closet around seventh period, stood Lucy and James, in each other's arms in a passionate makeout session.

Sure, call him weak. Spineless. But surprisingly clever. He'd missed the way Lucy kissed. After all, she was his girlfriend. He liked her a lot, in both personality and physical aspects. When it came to physical things, she wasn't exactly very giving. She made you work for a simple kiss. But he did enjoy the challenge.

His lips left a trail of kisses from her lips to her neck, giving a nip when he finally got there. They parted, giving him the opportunity to now create a smooth suction. Starting off gentle, but then sucking harder until he could get a rise out of her.

He removed his lips, and smirked at the mark he'd left there, before pressing his lips against hers again.

;;

It came to him as a surprise at how excited he was to actually spend some time with Katie after school.

Ever since he'd started dating Lucy, he'd grown distant from his longtime friend. Although he was glad to have the girl he'd chased around for quite some time, he still missed the other girl immensely.

He stood in his bedroom, getting ready for what he had planned, when Katie's signature ringtone came on his phone.

He answered, about to greet, when he heard a small voice on the other line.

"James?"

Her tone was scratchy, as if she'd been crying.

"Katie," he breathed. "What happened?"

"My grandma got into a car accident, she's okay, but," the other girl whispered, her voice barely audible through the speakers. "Can you come? Please?"

Her voice had never sounded so weak, so desperate.

"Of course."

He'd never driven anywhere so fast in his life. And shockingly, he didn't even receive a ticket. Even if he did, this was an actual emergency. He'd known how close Katie had been to her grandmother, so seeing her in such a feeble condition was probably worrying her sick.

Practically running up the stairs, he took a sigh of relief when he saw her. Her hair was tied in a loose bun, with little strands hanging from it. Her signature grey converse were on, with an oversized sweatshirt and shorts. Even when going through hell, she still managed to look great.

He gave her a warm embrace when he first spotted her. The first thing he noticed was the lack of family surrounding her. "Where is everyone?"

"Kendall had to take my mom to her dentist appointment, so he's there with her now. She doesn't like driving after anesthesia."

"Oh."

As he pulled away, he looked down at the girl's eyes, which were rimmed with red. It physically pained him to see her go through this sort of pain, especially after he'd been such an asshole to her prior.

He wrapped one arm protectively around her, tugging her closer to his body as he led her to the couch so they could sit side-by-side.

"You're not mad I had to cancel, are you?" She questioned.

"No, how could I be? I'm here for you, okay? That's what friends are for."

He caressed his thumb against her shoulder, as he leaned down to give her a peck on the forehead. "Everything's going to be fine," he reassured her. "Everything's going to be fine."

;;

They left the hospital around eight, and took her to get a salad at Panera Bread following. While she still seemed to be in a dull mood, and understandably, he decided to take her to back to his house. He led her upstairs, and shut the door.

As she took a seat on the bed, she made a comment. "You changed your room."

"I change it a lot," he replied with a simple shrug, as he dug through his movies.

Once he found what he was looking for, he tossed it to the girl.

She clutched it to her chest, as a small smile threatened to grow on her lips.

"Casablanca."

"Your favorite."

They sat in silence for a moment. He knew her well-enough to be sure that black-and-white movies were her absolute favorites of all time, especially Casablanca. It always managed to lift her moods and spirits.

Taking the movie from her, he put it in the DVD player, and sat back on the bed.

Leaning back, and she laid beside him, careful not to make eye contact.

In a way, things were different now.

As the movie started, their attention focused in. But somewhere toward the middle, Katie's attention was pulled away.

"James?" Her voice murmured, as she sucked in her lower lip to chew on.

"Hm?"

"Do you - um. Do you remember, all of the party?"

It took him a moment to reply. "It's fuzzy."

"Oh."

Silence.

At least, for a few minutes.

"Was I your first?" He prodded.

"Yes."

It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to fall in love with a boy, someone not in a relationship, and then have it be special. Not on a drunken whim.

"I'm sorry, Katie. I fucked up."

"James."

"I ruined it for you, didn't I? This is my fault. It really is."

"James."

"I'm sorry, I really am."

"Stop apologizing. I didn't regret it, I still don't. If I was going to loose it, I'm glad it was to you and not to some trashy guy out there. I'm glad it was to my best friend."

For some reason, this caused a smile to light up his face.

If she was content, he would be too.

As the movie ended it's course, James and Katie lie blissfully asleep in each other's arms. At least things could be peaceful. For now.


End file.
